The Mirror of the King

Testimony of Merat-us-Sultan

Paraphrased in modern English by Colin Melbourne

© 96-08 Born-Again-Christian.info

The true story of an Iranian nobleman's conversion from Islam to Christ

Merat was born within the Shah's Palace in 1876. His mother was employed by the Royal Household to care for the Princes, with whom Merat played. He grew up in lavish surroundings and became familiar with the nobility of Teheran. He learned to handle people and to accomplish things diplomatically.

Later, he entered the army and became an Officer. His pleasant manner, executive talent, and his friends in high places, enabled him to rise rapidly in his chosen career. He epitomised the perfect Iranian gentleman. Whilst still quite young, he was chosen to become the Chief of Police in Tabriz. This was the home of the Crown Prince, as well as being the second biggest and most influential city in Iran.

During this period, Merat married and had children, four daughters and two sons. On a visit to Teheran, he was invited to dine with his wife's uncle. The host was a Muslim cleric of high standing. After the meal, Merat browsed around his host's library. Idly he pulled out one book after another, until he found one that was hidden behind the rest. It was a Christian book outlining the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Merat was drawn to it and read for hours, until disturbed by his host looking for him after the guests had departed. Merat looked up and asked,

"Have you read this book?"

His host smiled and replied,

"That book is not good for a youth like you."

Then he took it from Merat, who never saw it again, but its message stayed with him. In years to come he often thought about the striking difference between the teachings of Islam and those of Christ. Merat returned to Tabriz as Commander of both police and the army in that city. The Russian Army invaded Tabriz and the poorly armed Iranian troops fled in terror. What happened to Merat is related here in his own words, translated from a Persian booklet he wrote in 1948.

In the year 1912 the Tsarist army entered Tabriz on the pretext of protecting their Russian subjects. But in reality, they came to assist Mohammed Ali, the deposed Shah of Iran. An action that was totally illegal. The Russians arrested a number of influential citizens and religious leaders and hanged them publicly on the tenth day of Moharram.

After this shameful act, they tried to arrest the Governor and Chief of Police, to execute them also. The Governor was Prince Mirza and I was Chief of Police. The Prince received no help from his Government. So he was forced to seek asylum in the British Consulate. Finally, in despair, he committed suicide. I resigned by telegram, fled in disguise to the land of Armenia (in Turkey) and stayed for a while in the region of Van. Whilst leaving Tabriz, I passed through a village, and because of heavy snowfall, took refuge in the house of an Armenian Christian. As I left for Turkey, my Christian host prayed for my safety and said,

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"My dear guest, during your stay, I have prayed for your salvation from the wicked Russians and have asked the Lord Jesus Christ to keep you safe and enable you to reach home in perfect health and peace. I am sure Christ will protect you. But are you ready to promise Christ, that on entering your home in peace, you will not forget him but will commit yourself to your Saviour?"

I gave my promise to the Christian, saying;

"Of course." With great joy, he said, "Go, and be confident that Christ will save you: but don't forget your promise."

For months I wandered in Turkey, a fugitive from the oppression of the Russian army. Eventually, I returned to Iran and journeyed to Kazvin on my way to Teheran. Stopping in a teahouse for the night, I planned to enter Kazvin the next day. But at midnight Russian Cossacks dragged me from my bed. I was imprisoned, whilst they arranged for my execution. The imprisonment lasted a long time. I did not know why, since I expected to be executed at any moment. One day my cell door opened, a Russian Colonel entered and said to me,

"Sir, please come!"

I went out with him. A photographer was standing outside. He took photographs of me and then I was returned to my cell. The Colonel said,

"Since you will be here only one day more, you can make any request you wish and I will try to fulfil it for you."

So I asked, "Why was my picture taken?"

"One is to be sent to Russia, and one will be kept here." He replied.

"From that, I understand the order for my execution has come. Can you tell me when it will be carried out?"

"Tomorrow, at nine am." he replied.

Then he went out and I was left alone.

In the terrible night that followed, something very significant happened. For many days and nights I had sought the help of all the Prophets and Holy men of my Muslim religion whose names I knew, but no assurance of salvation had come to me. Now in this last and awful hour, when terror took hold of me, there flashed through my mind the words of the Christian,

"Don't forget Christ."

At once, I knelt down and cried out to Christ,

"O Jesus Christ, I have committed many sins in my life. I am a great sinner! But in this matter for which I am about to be executed, I am innocent. Do not allow the Russians to kill me. I don't know you, but if you save me, I promise to earnestly seek you, and when I find you, I will devote my life to serve you."

After I prayed, all fear left me and peace filled my heart. I slept until morning.

The fateful day dawned. At nine am. I heard the sound of the Russian trumpet and I knew that my hour had come. I prayed again,

"O Jesus Christ, if you are alive, and if you are the Saviour of sinful men, save me a sinner, from this calamity, that I may believe in you."

Immediately, the prison door opened, the Colonel entered and said,

"Let us go."

So in the depths of hopelessness and despair, I went out. Dozens of Russian soldiers were with the Colonel and a vast crowd of Iranians were mourning for me. Before their eyes, an Iranian Officer in the service of Iran was to be hanged by foreigners. Seeing the gallows tree set up for me I became terrified. I needed a miracle.

Only God knew my feelings at that time. I moved like a living-corpse through the crowd, towards the place of execution. In my heart I prayed,

"O Christ, don't you see how wrong this is. If you are the Saviour, then save me now."

I was still praying, when suddenly an Iranian Officer with twelve soldiers come towards us. He handed the Colonel a letter. Stopping to read it, he then looked at me and smiled. He put my hand into the hand of the Iranian Officer and I was led away.

After walking for thirty minutes we entered the police station. I was taken to an office and given a chair next to a desk.

"Please be seated whilst we inform the Governor of Kazvin of your arrival."

After he left, I gathered my senses and asked,

"Who was that?"

Somebody answered, The Chief of Police.

Then I understood. Since this is Iranian territory and the Russians have no right to execute an Iranian, they have handed me over to be executed by these traitors. Surely, they will return in an hour and kill me! But, at least I will die at the hands of Iranians. Since that is the case, I should take this chance to write my will. At that moment the Chief of Police returned. He was surprised to see me writing.

"Sir, what are you doing?"

"I am writing my will, for my family. Please send it to them after my death."

On hearing this, he was very upset, took the paper and tore it up saying,

"God forbid that you should commit suicide!"

"Suicide? No, of course not! But you are commanded to kill me today."

In amazement, he replied,

"Sir, I see that you are completely unaware of what has been happening on your behalf. Please let us take tea and I will explain."

The tea was served and he continued.

"Ever since the Russians imprisoned you, the Governor of Kazvin has reported by telegraph to Teheran all news about you. He received instructions from the Government to try to negotiate your release. However, no progress was made at all. Then last night, a telegram came saying, that the Russians had agreed and enclosed an instruction for the Russian Consulate in Kazvin to deliver you to the Governor of Kazvin at once. However, the telegram arrived during the night, too late to wake the Consul. So we had to wait till morning. At nine am. today I was able to see him and got a letter directing the Russian Colonel to release you so that I may bring you here. And this has been done. You may go to Teheran anytime you wish, but for safety, I will send you with an armed escort.

When the Chief of Police had finished his explanation, I asked him which way pointed to Mecca. I knelt down with my forehead in the dust and spoke these words from my heart:

"Praise be to God my Creator, Jesus Christ, who has forgiven me and saved me from certain death! I acknowledge in your holy presence that I have this deliverance from Jesus Christ and I promise, O my God, that as long as I have life, I will be Christ's."

Then I lifted myself up and experienced happiness beyond human understanding. I thanked the Chief of Police, then made arrangements to leave for Teheran. There, I met the Prime Minister and the Minister for the Interior. They kissed me and said,

"Have no doubt, the Most High God saved you from death, this is a miracle. Now, stay here until we have confirmation from the Russian capital that you are safe."

My stay lasted a whole year, then at last in September 1913, I was freed, on condition I did not leave Teheran. It was wonderful to be back with my wife and children.

One Sunday morning Merat's wife said to him,

"I hope you don't mind, but during your absence I have been attending the church with a friend."

"No", replied her husband, "but I'm sure the preacher says nothing of importance. I could easily silence him."

So she continued to attend the Persian services at the Mission church.

One day, Merat met an old friend by the name of Rajab Ali Nozad. Nozad told him,

"Merat, at the time you were in prison in Kazvin, I too was in that city. I went there to declare the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Word of God. When I heard of your desperate situation I appealed to Almighty God and never ceased to pray for your release until I learned you had reached Teheran safely. Now I want you to remember that you are indebted to Christ for your salvation from prison and from death."

Merat replied,

"My dear friend, I well know it was Jesus Christ who saved me. Just tell me what I should do."

"Believe in Christ, said Nozad, that you may have peace of mind in this world and in the next; and receive forgiveness of your sins."

The following day, Nozad took Merat to the Mission to meet a group of Iranian Christians, who met there for Bible study and prayer. He told them,

"I have been saved from certain death by Jesus Christ. Now, I have come here to confess my faith. Please tell me what to do."

Merat told his amazing story. Then fell on his knees praying with tears, asking God's forgiveness for the delay in keeping his promise to the Armenian Christian. He professed his faith in Christ as his only Saviour, and the group prayed God's blessing upon him.

Merat now realized he must tell his wife and relatives that he had become a Christian. But how could he do that? Muslim law demands that a woman leave her husband, if he forsakes Islam and becomes an infidel. Surely she would leave him as soon as she heard of his conversion, and he would lose his happy home. Yet whatever happened, he knew he must confess his new faith in Christ.

One day, his wife came to him saying,

"There is something that separates us, and I must confess it to you. As you know, my heart was sad whilst you were away, and in the church I heard words of comfort about Jesus. Now I am a Christian. I cannot hide it from you any longer. Do with me as you wish."

For a moment Merat was speechless, with both joy and shame. Joy, because his beloved wife was one with him in faith in Christ, and shame, because she had shown more courage than he in confessing her faith.

Merat asked Nozad,

"According to the Holy Bible, what else must I do now that I am a Christian?"

Nozad replied,

"You must be baptized like Jesus was."

So Merat asked to be baptized. On November 7th. 1920, he was baptized in church in Teheran. Five months later his wife was also baptized. In subsequent years, as each believed on Christ, all six of his children were saved and baptized too. Now his whole family belonged to Christ.

In due time Merat was elected an Elder of the Church of Teheran. Occasionally, he was asked to preach in the services, and in the open air. He was a most eloquent speaker.

Once in a large evangelistic service full of Muslims, Merat told the story of his deliverance from death with such power that his listeners were totally captivated by his testimony. A missionary, who had been invited to dinner in Merat's home, was talking with him before the meal. Looking around the room, he noticed a picture of a stern man in uniform.

"Whose picture is that?" He enquired.

"Oh that is my picture before Christ saved me."

Pointing to another, he continued, "and there is my picture, after I became a Christian."

The guest looked at the smiling face of one whose heart was full of the love and peace of Jesus, the King of Kings. And reflected on the English meaning of Merat-us-Sultan, who now had truly become, "The Mirror of the King."

Pray to Receive Jesus Christ as Saviour

© 96-08 Born-Again-Christian.Info

Paraphrased into modern English by Colin Melbourne from, 'Ten Muslims Meet Christ' W.M. McElwee, Eerdmans Pub. Co. 1969. Used by kind permission